Light Sleep

So this morning I’m trying to figure out what size a *NORMAL* cup of coffee would be. 6 oz? 8 oz? 10-12? At the corner store the small coffee is a 12 oz. But I’m pretty certain a normal portion size is 8 oz? Right?

Our super-sized society. Not even sure what a regular portion would be. Alas.

I need to know this because, well…I have to readjust my inner time clock. Sleep disorder Jen, I am. And apnea is not the main cause (mostly hypopneas) but insomnia abounds.

Last week I did a sleep study: a polysomnogram. At the Buffalo Sleep Center where I was hooked up to a little box like this…

There are 4 levels of sleep and then R.E.M. I spent most of the evening in stage 2- most of the evening meaning 75%. (And 8% in Stage 1!!!) Stage 2 is light sleep. I only made it to R.E.M. once. I completed one sleep cycle. Average person my age should be making, er, a few more each night. And it took me 220 minutes to GET to R.E.M. sleep, when it should take about 90.

So I have to readjust my body. And then perhaps retest.

And how do I do that? Well…let’s just say thank GOD the sleep doctors are handsome cause if they didn’t have such pretty faces and such a kind demeanor, I might have started cursing.

I have to keep a sleep journal. Be in bed by 12. And MUST GET UP at 5:30 am. No exceptions, every day….for 2 weeks straight. Not allowed to have any caffeine after, get this…I would say maybe 1 pm/3pm? Nope. TRY 10:00 am. I cannot take any naps. If I do not fall asleep within 10-15 minutes I must force myself out of bed and do something boring, in low light. I also must turn my alarm clock around so I have no idea what time it is. And make sur eI use my bed only for sleep and sex 😉 Sex….mmmmm.

Yeah. I have to do this for 2 weeks straight and then go back for a review. The bad part is well, if I am unable to see an improvement, it is most likely a respiratory problem due to my physical characteristics, which suggest a history of apnea. High, narrow palette. Extended jaw, overbite, moderate snoring etc…I might have had a *false* reading because I was hardly sleeping, only made it basically in and out of light sleep all night. (I woke up with hypopneas 36 times. And recorded 6 instances of complete apnea.) So I only completely stopped breathing 6 times during the test.

So? I shall persevere and somehow pull discipline out of my ass. But I am going to start, um, next Tuesday ( I’m going away this weekend!) Perhaps I can even join the BAC next week. We will see. It shall be an adventure for sure.